An ugly black shadow cuts a shape through the desert: it’s the iron fence that runs for nearly 2,000 miles across the US - Mexico border, a border that immigrants trying to get to the US cross every day. Broken Land tells the stories of seven American citizens living in the 'militarized zone' on the US side of the fence, who tell how the border transforms their lives. They observe the haunting traces left by the crossing migrants – people they never come face to face with – as they confide their fear, defiance and at times even compassion. Each of them faces the divisive issue of illegal immigration in their own way. Their diverse, sometimes tragic experiences weave a compelling tapestry of life on the frontier. There are those who welcome the immigrants, providing shelter and supplies, and denounce the US government for its insular surveillance state. There are others who live in fear of perceived threats and feel the need to actively defend their territory, finding a purpose to their often solitary lives by patrolling the border with guns and DIY tracking technology. Meanwhile, in a morgue, hundreds of bodies and skeletons picked up from the desert lie in cold storage, waiting to be identified. America is 'the finest country in the world', but not for everyone.